Mirroring the programs of cities such as New York (Citi Bike), Montreal (Bixi Bike), London (“Boris Bikes”) and Paris (Vélib), Guadalajara’s bike share program (MiBici) kicked off Monday in a selected area of the city center.
The state government has plowed five million dollars into the program that makes 800 bicycles available for borrowing from 86 docking stations located in an area contained within a 24-block zones.
Subscriptions cost 365 pesos per year and allow users to borrow bikes free of charge for up to 30 minutes each day.
Jalisco Governor Aristoteles Sandoval said MiBici was only in its “initial stage” and would soon be expanded to other parts of the metropolitan area, and other cities in the state. Start-up in Zapopan, including the Chapalita neighborhood, is scheduled for February 2015.
While in agreement with the roll out of the program, various civic groups have issued some cautionary warnings, in particular regarding safety aspects. They are also demanding that politicians do not use the program for political gains.